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Three Television Shows To Start Watching Now

It’s a glorious time to be alive. The advent of entire TV series being put on DVD (& though we can’t condone it, maybe the proliferation of said programming on certain ‘illegal’ online sharing sites), it’s easier than ever to gorge on quality programming. No longer does one have to slog through episodes each week, not knowing how the show will fare, how long it will stick around, & of course suffering through withdrawal when each & every episode ends. It was the hilarious IFC sketch comedy program Portlandia that got us thinking about what shows are truly worth shuttering yourself away for days on end, watching episode after episode of delightfully addicting programming:

So here at Everyguyed, we decided to assemble three key programs that you can dive right into knowing that a) they are consistently fantastic, & b) they have new & highly anticipated seasons starting soon.

Mad Men

This was an easy one for us, because not only is the show excellent, it’s insanely fashionable. Still, there’s a more complex reason you need to be watching this show: roughly a year ago, producer Matthew Weiner got into some pretty brutal contract talks with the network, AMC, which resulted in a nearly year-&-a-half delay of season five. What does this mean? It means that up until the season starts – & with every single episode – EVERYONE in the Western Hemisphere is going to be talking about this show. The last thing you want to be is left out. Best of all you have a full four seasons of beautiful women, hard-drinking men, & period-perfect fashion to enjoy before the show’s triumphant return on March 25th.

Game of Thrones

This show isn’t for everyone. Especially guys that don’t like gorgeous women often in little to no clothing (thank you HBO), incredible visuals, & a storyline that brings out the 13 year-old geek in all of us. One of the most expensive television shows ever produced, Game of Thrones is based on the cult novel series by author George R. R. Martin. Although hardcore fans of the 90’s series will quibble with some of the liberties taken in the show, you will be sucked into a world of bloodshed, betrayal, & fantasy well beyond anything that’s ever hit the screen before.

Breaking Bad

If you haven’t started watching this show, I envy you. I envy the fact that you can still experience anew one of the greatest programs ever to grace a television screen. Created by Vince Gilligan for AMC, Breaking Bad follows the stunning descent of Walter White; a mild-mannered high school chemistry teacher who discovers he has lung cancer & begins cooking meth in a desperate attempt to ensure his wife & children won’t be left wanting after his death. There’s not much more one can explain without littering this post with ‘spoiler-alerts’, so I’ll just give a simple list of general awesomeness:

1) It’s visually stunning: no other show maintains such a meticulously cinematic quality. Gilligan uses the landscape of New Mexico with a deftness that most film directors would envy.2)Humour: Yes, Breaking Bad is a drama of epic proportions, but this doesn’t mean it’s the kind of show that leaves you feeling beaten after each episode. There’s a balance to the show, & the writers & cast convey a sense of humour that – though often at times is quite dark – is charmingly refreshing.3) The Acting: Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably seen – or at least heard – about the truckloads of Emmys this show has been collecting.4)It’s going to end: This may seem like a strange one, but hear me out. With AMC falling into the crevasse that was Matthew Weiner/Mad Men negotiations a little over a year ago, the network knew they had to cut down somewhere. Breaking Bad is where that cutting was done. So after 4 incredible seasons, this summer the show will end with 16 final episodes, which means Gilligan & his writers have had over a year to craft a perfect, satisfying ending; something so few shows ever get a chance at.